The Park
by andriaallen
Summary: Helen is alone at home and decides to go for a jog. Events lead her to rethink her distance from people in her life.


Helen Magnus was alone in the Sanctuary. This was unusual, but she was going to utilize every minute that she wasn't being hounded by some on or something. She made her way from her office to her bedroom and changed into comfortable clothes. A Within Temptation t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans and black tennis shoes was what she changed into. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and grabbed a light jacket and her music player. She left a note in the Kitchen and went on her way.

She walked out of the house and down the driveway, putting her headphones in and turning on her music. She locked the gate behind her and headed for one of the parks in town at a light jog. It took her twenty minutes to get there and she found a bench and sat down, content to rest and watch for a bit. She looked around at the fall colors, smiling. She stood again and began her familiar route around the park. She hadn't done this since before Ashley had died, and she felt that it was high time she stop hiding. She bent down to tie her shoe when she felt a little body run up behind her and hug her. "Mommy..?" Helen turned around to see a little girl.

The young girl looked to be about five and upon realizing that Helen wasn't her mother, began crying. "Shh, darling can you tell me what your mummy looks like, so that I can help you find her?" she said a soothingly as possible. The little girl shook her head.

"You're a stranger; I'm not supposed to talk to them only police officers and federal agents." She said looking around helplessly. Helen smiled and pulled out her FBI and MI6 credentials and handed them to the little girl.

"Then you are in luck because I happen to be a federal agent." Helen said, wiping the tears away from the little girls face as she read them. The little girl looked up at Helen and handed her credentials back. Helen put them back in her pocket and stood up, holding a hand out to the young girl. "Where did you last see you Mummy?"Helen asked and the little pointed behind her.

"That way." She sniffed. Helen nodded and began backtracking, the little girl at her side until she heard someone yelling.

"Olivia!" A woman yelled and the little girl smiled and tugged on Helen's hand. Helen assented and picked the young girl up, jogging toward the yelling mother.

"Ma'am, I believe this is who you are looking for?" Helen said sticking a hip out with the small child on it. The woman shrieked in horror and Helen set the child down and allowed her to run to her mother. Olivia ran and hugged her mother before going to sit on a bench.

"What were you doing with my child?" The woman demanded. Helen looked the woman over and assessed the situation; this was indeed something she had done before. Helen pulled out her credentials and handed them to the woman before speaking.

"She ran into me thinking that I was you. I asked her where she had last seen you and then we headed this way, after I showed her my badges and ID of course." Helen said calmly. The woman scrutinized the credentials before handing them back with a scowl.

"Thank you for finding me, but I have never heard of you, my husband is the head agent here." She said, hands on her hips. Helen smiled.

"I live here and have my own research facility, My credentials are because I am not a field agent, though I do have training, I run basic forensics and can have the President and members of Parliament send my agreements if you want to double and triple check." She said, noting the look of shock on the woman's face.

"You are THE Helen Magnus then, the billionaire and ruthless businesswoman?" the woman looked at Helen disbelievingly. Helen frowned, while it was common for people to say that about her, it was far from true, she just had more authority than most. "I'm sorry it's just what I have read on you." She stammered. Helen realized that the woman was uncomfortable.

"It's alright; I am quite used to it, though I don't know what drives people to think that I am mean." Helen said, smiling gently at the woman. The woman looked down and smiled.

"I think it the fact that you are never really seen out of work, you aren't married either to anyone's knowledge. It kind of screams that you are ruthless and cold hearted." She said. Helen nodded.

"You are right, but I fought for my position in the world, my work is everything to me. When I had my daughter I was criticized and berated. I didn't want to go through that, and now that she is dead, I am still berated. People are always wondering if I somehow went off my rocker when she was killed. I didn't, it hurts more than anything to know that I will never see her again, but I still have work to do, I can't stop to mourn, I already did that." Helen said and the woman suddenly found a new respect for Helen Magnus, the woman had been through hell and back and was still a standing and functioning member of society.

"I am sorry for your loss Miss Magnus. I can't imagine loosing Olivia." Helen nodded in respect and smiled.

"She is a wonderful child, and very smart too. She does remind me of Ashley, stubborn and smart, beautiful. I miss that. Having a child run into me and shout 'Mummy', those were some of the best things about being a mother. Don't ever let your little girl go, she will grow up, and it will be too fast for your taste, harbor the contact you can have now, I wish I had done more with Ashley, now I'll never get the chance." Helen said nodding in Olivia's direction. The woman turned around and smiled before nodding.

"I will, and I'll always remember your story. Have a nice day Miss Magnus." The woman held her hand out to shake and Helen did. She stood there and continued watching as the mother and child skipped away. Helen smiled and shook her head before beginning her jog back to the Sanctuary. Life, however long or short, was something you cherished and loved. Helen smiled and headed home, pleased with herself. She would have to make an effort to do familial things more often. She had lost Ashley, but she would not ever waste the time she had left with the people she loved anymore.


End file.
